Alone with Everybody

Richard Ashcroft

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 27, 2000)
• Original Release Date: June 27, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B00004TTXY
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (134 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #40,360 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The bad news: Alone with Everybody, the first solo venture by the Verve's ex-lead singer Richard Ashcroft, is not as good as the Verve's pinnacle departure album, Urban Hymns. The good news: it's really, really close. Urban Hymns's elongated, psychedelic space jams and reflective, occasionally plaintive themes seeped osmotically into the listener's every cell, becoming gloriously inescapable. The melodies on Alone with Everybody remain within the parameters of the Verve's last album, carrying over the massive swells of orchestral strings; mellowed, trippy, blues-influenced guitar licks; and Chris Potter's dense production. Initially, the impact is slightly diminished because Verve fans will find it very familiar. But Alone is less cathartic and more resolute because Ashcroft has found real love. As you'd expect from such an adept and introspective songsmith, Ashcroft's love songs are not schmaltzy. This isn't the kind of love that can be expressed through the ear-splitting wail of a pop diva or the jangly chorus of a college-rock quartet. Songs like "You on My Mind in My Sleep," "Crazy World," and the heart-wrenching "On a Beach," reveal a love that is consuming, complex, fragile, and obtained at the conclusion of an exhausting, painful war with the self. The album sprawls in expansive contentment--a contradiction in terms understood perfectly by anyone who's ever loved so deeply, humbly, and unexpectedly that they've needed nothing else. --Beth Massa

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The best album from the U.K in the year 2000", July 3, 2000

By	Francisco J. Zamarripa (Denton, Texas. U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

At first I wasn't very sure is this was going to be a good album because many critics said that this album was far from the level of "The Verve".And its true, richard ashcroft has his own way of making music, he adds more energy , spirit and meaning than "the verve" in their last days. Believe me , its extraordinary feelings that he posseses. The album starts brilliantly with the song "A song for the lovers", if you are like me who enjoys the strings, then you are going to enjoy the end of this song. The best songs in the album are the first 6 songs but specially: "song for the lovers", "I get my beat"[the strings are just marvelous in this song],"brave new world"[the lyrics will make you feel sad for richard ashcroft due to the death of his father], "you on my mind in my sleep"[this song reminds me of "The drugs dont work from the urban hymns album]. The album its a masterpiece of music, this is a beautiful and peaceful record which makes you feel good and positive, the sounds of the strings just make it very different and special, I just felt in love with the album, a must buy if you are a verve fan or if you like nice, sweet, positive music.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Come along with his sound let the spirit move you, June 27, 2000

By	R. Johnson "bonovox" (Sweet Home Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This CD hit me emotionally the first time I heard it, just like the Verve CDs "Urban Hymns" and "A Northern Soul". There is something unique, beautiful, and enigmatic about Richard Ashcroft's songwriting and singing. This CD captures those qualities perfectly. I was worried that he needed the Verve as a group to continue to develop artistically, but, barring drummer Peter Salisbury, he has single-handedly moved forward with this CD.

"Song for Lovers" is just the tip of the iceberg. Ashcroft use of strings in this song, and most other songs in which he has used them, is so perfect and intertwined lavishly with the melody and other instruments.

"You On My Mind In My Sleep" starts out simple with Richard's great soulful voice and an acoustic guitar, then blows up into a lush string arrangement with wonderful slide-guitar work. A wonderful ride.

Other great ones are "Brave New World" an opus to someone he hopes to meet in the afterlife, "Everybody", and the catchy "C'Mon People (We're Making It Now)" -- however "C'Mon" seems a little out of place, but it's a good tune anyways.

I can't begin to recommend this CD enough. Please consider it as a top purchase this year, along with Travis's "The Men Who". The UK is turning out the good music lately. Get away from the mindless Britney Spears/N'Sync/Backstreet Boys/Agueleria cults, and listen to something sophisticated and beautiful like "Alone With Everybody"! :)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ashcroft's solo album is a treasure to own., January 19, 2002

By	Chris Jothi (London, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

There wasn't any doubting that Richard Ashcroft would lead a solo career after Britain's best rock band of the 90s broke up. Oasis may have dominated the airplay and the charts but The Verve were getting all the acclaim from fans. They operated an inimitable style, and the three albums they made just happened to be the best of what Britain could offer to the world in terms of music. Ashcroft wrote most of the songs, and apart from Nick McCabe's searing guitar playing, his voice was the dominating feature of the most epic, sprawling rock songs of recent years.

Alone With Everybody, Ashcroft's debut, was critically panned in the UK, and although pushed hard by his record label it pretty much sank without a trace.

Expectations are hard to please, and maybe Q Magazine and co did not like Ashcroft, his confidence, his swagger, and jumped at the opportunity to take him down. Bad choice, for this may just be the most promising solo debut of 2000. They said it was boring (what, compared to Radiohead's Amnesiac?), overblown (right, Be Here Now anyone?) and uninspiring (too many critically acclaimed artists to mention!).

From the first few seconds of A Song For The Lovers we are instantly in familiar territory; the violins, the brilliant production, and Ashcroft's voice, whose I could listen to for all day and night.

Lyrically it is low on Dylan but high on The Doors. Just like The Verve. Ashcroft sings about BIG ideas, about love, devotion, overcoming adversity. And big ideas need big, luscious orchestrations, and when you play these songs, play them loud. Yet it is not overproduced (unlike MB20's Mad Season,or DMB's Everyday). It retains a rawness and organic vibe, and Ashcroft sounds so comfortable on his own, playing everything from pianos to guitars to singing. It's not self indulgence but a representation of his enthusiasm and his copious talent. You can't help but respect his intentions.

Of course Ashcroft got married, became a father, the whole shibbang of adulthood, before and during this album, and it does heavily influence the songs, yet it is never cynical. NEVER. There is too much cynicism in the world, and this is a breath of fresh air, to finally hear someone sing about being content in life. It rubs off on you.

I don't usually single out songs in albums but I have to here. I Get My Beat, the second track, is so good. Really, I know I'm
not being helpful by saying buy the album for this song, but I honestly can't praise it enough. I love it, sing along every time I hear it. The sound is contageous.

In retrospect I can't understand how Alone With Everybody has become so underrated. Yet at the same time I am rather glad, as it is kinda like my little gem which I know MTV or Radio 1 won't get a hold of.

So all we need to do now is watch out for what Mr Ashcroft cooks up for his sophomore effort. Based on this, it may make them blimming critics think twice. In my opinion, it may just change the world.